Have Hope your Pain has a Purpose

1 Peter 2.18-25

18 You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. 19 For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. 20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.

21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

22 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.  23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered.He left his case in the hands of God,who always judges fairly. 24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross

so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 25 Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

 

Thesis: The tests God brings may seem unreasonable and inexplicable, but they have their reasons.

http://www.persecution.com/

Maybe our problems are small potatoes?

Do not give into to your painful problems – they hold a purpose – we can become tempted to let our pain turn us bitter, and unforgiving – but the Father has a different plan.

Reasons why your Pain has a Purpose

Reason #1 – Expands your Faith (19-20)

There are only 2 reasons believers suffer

1) Sin; 2) our Savior

Psalm 11.4 - But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.

 James 1.2-4 - 2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

1 Peter 1:7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

 (Hebrews 11.6; 23-27)

For faith to be trusted it has to be tested.

(Rubber band is only being what it is made to be when it is stretched)

Result of an expanded faith – favor with God (20)

“To many times we want a blessing

 but God wants to make you a blessing.”

           

Reason # 2 – Encounters your Calling (21)

Ex: you are called to be a Christ - follower

Look at our calling - 1 Peter 2.9; yes, but this is salvation

Okay - 1 Peter 3.9; 1 Peter 5.10 Here’s suffering for Christ

We have not developed a theology of suffering in our generation

We want to go to the happy boys and hear a happy word

Hosea 6:1

"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds.